M K Stalin

The much-touted rally of Muthuvel Karunanidhi’s ostracized son M K Alagiri in Chennai on September 5 has been a failure of sorts as he failed to attract any DMK functionary of note, with the party showing it is solidly behind his brother M K Stalin. However, in the eclipse of Alagiri, lies another story of the DMK being left without a strong southern satrap or star.

Tamil Nadu, already earning a notorious tag for its efforts to put down dissent especially against the BJP, blotted its copybook further with the arrest of a 28-year-old research scholar from Canada, Lois Sofia, for shouting, “down with Modi, BJP-RSS fascist government,” towards the end of a Chennai-Thoothukudi flight when TN BJP president Tamilisai Soundarajan crossed her.

The newly-elected president of the DMK, M K Stalin will not be as towering a personality as Muthuvel Karunanidhi. However, he will be seen as a more inclusive leader than his father. Stalin doesn’t believe in berating those who have faith in God and religion, especially Hinduism, which practice antagonized several sections of society and alienated them from the DMK.

Leader after leader of various opposition parties, speaking at the Kalaignar condolence meeting in Chennai on August 30, stressed that the newly-elected president M K Stalin will play a crucial role in the formation of the next government at the Centre. For Union Ministers Nitin Gadkari and Pon Radhakrishnan of the BJP, it must have been galling to find a galaxy of opposition parties coming together under one platform which could be a precursor to an alliance for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

M K Stalin has been elected unopposed as DMK president. He takes over as president on August 28 morning at the party general council meeting in Chennai when party general secretary K Anbazhagan will formally declare the results of elections to the post of president and treasurer.

DMK president and former Tamil Nadu chief minister Muthuvel Karunanidhi was laid to rest on the Marina beach as several chief ministers and leaders of various parties besides thousands of supporters bade him a tearful farewell. Symbolically, the leader of the party with the Rising Sun as its symbol was cremated around the time of the sun set.

Three people were killed and nearly 50 others injured in a stampede in front of Rajaji Hall where thousands of people had gathered to get a last glimpse of the departed DMK leader M Karunanidhi. The police resorted to a lathicharge after steps to control the crowd failed. The injured were rushed to hospital where they are undergoing treatment.

The Madras High Court decision on allowing the Karunanidhi Memorial on the Marina Beach, next to the Anna Memorial is a huge psychological and political victory for the DMK in the battle with the AIADMK which commenced 46 years ago from the time actor MGR formed the Anna DMK after his ouster from the DMK.

DMK president and former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi suffered a major setback past midnight on July 28 as there was a drop in blood pressure. He was rushed to the Kauvery Hospital in Alwarpet from his Gopalapuram residence and admitted there around 1 a.m. The condition was stabilized as he responded to treatment

Tamil superstar Rajinikanth has asked his fans to be battle-fit and be ready for war when it comes. The statement on May 19 has
indicated that Rajinikanth could take the plunge into politics ahead of the next general elections.

Tamil superstar Rajinikanth, as is customary prior to the release of his film, deliberately threw hints about a possible political entry but
made it clear that he would not support those who tried to make money from politics, and asked his fans not be disappointed if he
did not enter politics.

The Madras High Court on February 22 declined to grant any interim relief to the DMK, with respect to its petition questioning the manner in which the vote of confidence was won by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami in the Assembly, asked Leader of the Opposition and DMK party working president M.K. Stalin to produce video recordings to prove his charge that he was assaulted.

The DMK in Tamil Nadu today opted for the long-discussed change -- DMK president M Karunanidhi agreeing to make his son and
Treasurer, M K Stalin, the Working President at the General Council meeting in Chennai on January 4.

The DMK on April 13 released its list of candidates for 173 constituencies for the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections on May 16. Karunanidhi will contest from Tiruvarur and his son M K Stalin from Kolathur.

The DMK and Congress have finalised a deal for the May 16 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections under which the Congress will contest 41 seats. This is 22 seats less than the number contested by the national party in Tamil Nadu in 2011.